[pct-l] Giardia

[abiegen at cox.net]

Michael wrote:\
>Utilizing a medical search, a service that 
>gives me access to every peer-reviewed publication across the world (going back 
>at least 90 years), and using the search terms "polio hypersterile", I found not 
>one hit.

Well if you are looking for exact phrasing you are going to find very little. I'm afraid you should have dug a little deeper:

Before the 20th century, polio infections were rarely seen in infants before six months of age, most cases occurring in children six months to four years of age.[84] Poorer sanitation of the time resulted in a constant exposure to the virus, which enhanced a natural immunity  within the population. In developed countries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, improvements were made in community sanitation, including better sewage  disposal and clean water supplies. These changes drastically increased the proportion of children and adults at risk of paralytic polio infection, by reducing childhood exposure and immunity to the disease.

[84] Robertson S (1993). "Module 6: Poliomyelitis" (PDF). The Immunological Basis for Immunization Series. World Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland.. http://www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF-IBI-e/mod6_e.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-23.

Please note that people were healthier with poorer sanitation when it came to polio. You should also note that most people who contracted polio even the most severe spinal and brain infections fully recover.

Michael wrote:

>Ringworm?I did the same thing for this fungal infection (which causes what we 
>call ringworm, athletes foot, jack itch and other infections), and the result 
>was similar.

Well, Diane said ringworm but she meant Hookworm. Hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus) is a nasty little parasite that can have very nasty effects but researchers have noticed that people who have hookworms never get auto-immune diseases. Some how the nematode dampens the response of the immune system. Researchers are looking into how they can use this to fight autoimmune disorders.

The important point is that we evolved with all these organism and there have been adaptations on both sides. When we try to live in hyper sterile or super clean environments we can mess up that balance. I believe that we are just at the point of realizing that we as a society have traded episodic diseases which can be dangerous but usually just make us sick for a short while, for chronic autoimmune diseases like arthritis, Diabetes mellitus type 1, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. I believe that this is because we try to live such sterile lives. Our immune systems were designed to be busy. If we don't keep them busy, they will find something else to do, and that something else is likely to be attacking other cells we don't want it to attack.

Part of the bargain when hiking the PCT is that you are going to get dirty and you are not going to be able to get clean. Can't we just enjoy that for a while, and wouldn't it be great to know that maybe it is actually making us healthier?

TrailHacker,

"When my feet hurt, I can't think straight"
Abraham Lincoln